What is an all on 3?
All on 3 is the short name for an implant supported prosthesis that is only on 3 implants instead of the traditional minimum of 4. It is definitely more controversial but seems to work well in the lower jaw.
All on 3 (AO3) research
An AO3 works according to Oliva 2012, but this was a small study where all but 1 case was loaded conventionally. Bedrossian JOMI 2019 states AO3 is fine but should use wider diameter implants. Campos JPD 2024 shows that 3 is fine against maxillary dentures.
The dental implants seem to hold up with same percentage but the prosthesis may have more issues according to Lima JOMI 2018. Mezzari JOMI 2019 has a 5 year study on the all on 3 showing 97% success at 5 years when done in the mandible.
The example below is from a multi-national study and is showing success. Kenji 2020 JOMI
A systematic review on the all on 3 finds similar survival rates.
All on 2 and all on 1 or fixed-on-1 and fixed-on-2
This can work in the right circumstance. It is very outside the normal treatment regimen though and should be a last effort on a very old patient opposing a denture. Cannizzaro JOI 2019
What are the steps for the AO3?
The steps are the same as any implant supported denture.
That’s pushing it just lower the price on another implant…money marketing bullshit…what’s the difference between 3 and 4…five minutes basically and it can be used in every way..unless you have a dentist that doesn’t give a s*** and just hires idiot surgeons to place implants that fail and then you have gum disease the rest of your life and your gums never stop hurting because nobody cares I wish somebody cared
Maybe. 15 years ago pretty much everyone said the same thing about all on 4. Back then Misch taught you needed 8 implants. That is clearly not the case, but it was what almost everyone thought. If something works I’m all for less surgery and less complex prosthetics.